LEED is the best-known broad-based sustainability rating system in the
USA. It is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing
high-performance, sustainable buildings. It is organized and maintained
by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED ratings can be obtained at four
different levels, depending on the number of sustainability features
incorporated into the project. Certified is the minimum level of LEED
certification. Silver and gold are intermediate ratings. Platinum is
the highest rating.

The Forest Service maintains a corporate
membership (Web site available only to FS and BLM employees) in the U.S. Green Building Council. The membership
allows Forest Service employees to attend training and purchase materials
at the lower members' rates.

A number of Forest Service design professionals are LEED accredited,
which means they've passed a test and are recognized by the U.S. Green
Building Council as having a thorough understanding of green building
practices and principals. If you have questions about sustainable design,
you can contact a LEED
accredited Forest Service design professional (Web site available
only to FS and BLM employees).
LEED workshops are
available to prepare for LEED professional accreditation exams.

Proper documentation for LEED credits is crucial. Harvard University has posted all the LEED credit documentation for 10 LEED for New Construction projects on the Web. Although most Forest Service LEED projects will be quite different from these projects, these documents can still provide valuable guidance and examples of what sort of documentation is needed.